Thursday, 20 June 2013

Our Rio+20 Commitment, one year on

A survey of progress in delivering sustainable transport-related Voluntary Commitments made
at Rio+20has been published by the
Partnership for Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) exactly one year
after the summit in Rio de Janeiro. The Commitments include one coordinated by
the Road Safety Fund on behalf of the Zenani Mandela Campaign which focused on
'Protecting Children from road traffic injuries and improving their urban environment'. Bringing together 12 organisations and campaigns, including UNEP,
Embarq, AIP Foundation and Safe Kids Worldwide, the Voluntary Commitment has
resulted in achievements including a new cycle-way for a city in Costa Rica, a
pilot of 'star rating for schools' in Mexico City, delivery of a safe schools
road injury prevention programme in Tanzania, and advocacy campaigns aimed at
improving child safety legislation in Vietnam.

In a preface
to the report, Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General, said: "In both urban and
rural areas, better planning for land-use and transport systems makes a great
difference in facilitating access to jobs, goods and services for men and women
alike. It also helps improve road safety and reduce traffic accidents and
fatalities".

As well as
reporting on the Rio+20 commitments, the report, 'Creating Universal Access to Safe, Clean & Affordable Transport' also calls for a Goal on Sustainable
Transport to be included in the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals,
arguing that transport affects so many areas of development and environment
policy, delivery of services and access to employment that it needs to be
properly addressed in the post-2015 framework. In his foreword, Ban Ki-moon
also highlights this debate, telling the transport community:

"I
welcome your ideas and suggestions as the United Nations seeks to define a
transformative post-2015 development agenda. Global consultations are underway
among Governments, civil society, the private sector and others, and I
encourage you to make your voice heard."